Sir James Wright, 1st Baronet

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir James Wright, 1st Baronet (1730 – 8 March 1804) was an English diplomat and art collector who served as the Minister Resident of Great Britain to Venice from 1766 to 1774.[1]

Huband family

He was the son of James Wright of Warwick (d. 1754[2][3]) and Mary Huband[4][5] (1700[6][7] – 1768).[8][9] He is usually referred to as gentleman,[10][11] but may have been an attorney at law by training or profession.[12]

Wright's parents were married on 20 May 1728 in Ipsley, Worcester, England.[13] He was baptised on 8 April 1730 at Warwick, St. Mary, Warwickshire, England.[14] He had a brother, John (1729[15] – probably died young), and two sisters, Mary[16] (1734[17] – about 1807[18]) and Jane[16] (1736[19] – about 1765[20][21]). His sister Mary Wright married Rice Charleton, an English physician, medical researcher, and Fellow of the Royal Society[22][23][24] on 11 November 1759 at Walcot St. Swithin, Somerset, England.[25] His sister Jane Wright married John Moore, Archbishop of Canterbury (26 April 1730 – 18 January 1805)[26][27][20][21] on 29 April 1763 at Walcot St. Swithin, Somerset, England.[28]

His father, James Wright of Warwick, purchased his wife's sisters' shares of the manor Hurstborne,[29][30] and owned lands on Cubbington[31][32] and Butlers Marston.[22][27][33]

His maternal grandparents were Sir John Huband, 2nd Baronet of Ipsley Court in Warwickshire[34] and Rhoda, eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Broughton, Baronet of Broughton in the county of Stafford[35] by Rhoda, daughter of John Amcotts of Aisthorpe in Lincolnshire, Esq.[36] by Rhoda,[37] daughter of Thomas Hussey of Caythorpe,[38] eldest son of Sir Edward Hussey, 1st Baronet and Elizabeth Anton, daughter of George Anton of Lincoln,[39] and Member of Parliament for Grantham, by Rhoda[40] (d. 11 Oct. 1686), daughter and coheiress of Thomas Chapman, Draper of Soper Lane, London and Wormley, Hertfordshire,[41] who married secondly as his second wife Ferdinando Fairfax, 2nd Lord Fairfax of Cameron.[42]

His mother also had a sister named Rhoda, Dame Rhoda Delves alias Cotes.[43]

First period in Italy, courtier

Wright and his wife Catherine first visited Venice in December 1758.[44] An encounter there with Lady Mary Wortley Montagu led to an introduction to John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, and his wife Mary, daughter of Lady Mary.[45]

The couple apparently had a close marriage. It was observed by Lady Mary, during the time in Venice the two of them comforted each other over the loss of their stillborn child. It put her in mind of the Butes, friends whose company she enjoyed: and Catherine Wright became her correspondent.[46]

Wright was from that time on good terms with Lord Bute, who became Prime Minister in 1762, the relationship being described by William Bodham Donne as "private friend".[47] Wright was a Groom of the Bedchamber to George III from 21 December 1762[48] to 30 May 1801. He was knighted on 3 July 1766.[49][50][51]

Second period in Italy

Sir James Wright reached Venice as Resident in mid-September 1766. Shortly, by March 1767, Lord Northington, Lord Chancellor under successive Prime Ministers, showed a wish to exert nepotism on Wright's behalf:[44] through his mother's sister Jane Huband, Wright was a nephew-by-marriage to Northington.[52] Northington's demand, of priority for a move to Florence or Naples, disconcerted Horace Mann, Wright's friend who was settled at Florence. Wright tried to smooth matters over.[44] Horace Walpole, Mann's correspondent, at the beginning of April was assuring Mann that he need not fear the intrigues of the "old drunken uncle" (Northington), given the influence of Mann's patron Henry Seymour Conway.[53]

Both the Wrights were afflicted by illness while in Venice: and they spent a period in England, of around two years, from August 1769 to August 1771, during which Robert Richie deputised for Sir James.[44]

Wright was created a baronet on 12 October 1772[54][55] for his services as His Majesty's Resident at Venice.[56] The Wrights left Venice in 1773, and the posting officially terminated in 1774.[44] John Udny (1727–1800), brother of Robert Udny, filled in for Wright, until his successor John Strange arrived.[57]

Later life in politics

In 1778, Wright became involved in a political furore when he and Dr. Addington, his own and Chatham's physician, engaged in a futile attempt to bring about a political alliance between Bute and Chatham.[49][58][59][60] This incident terminated the friendship with Bute.[45]

Residence, collection and estates

Family

References

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI